1. Technical Field
This invention relates to an apparatus for mounting critical care equipment onto an ambulance cot and, more particularly, to a mounting bracket adapted to the attachment of a portable cardiac monitor to an ambulance cot.
2. Prior Art
A typical ambulance cot has a tubular metal frame construction which comprises a generally rectangular shape with supports for a mattress and with a wheeled undercarriage. The mattress frame is supported on the wheeled undercarriage by an arrangement of collapsible legs so that the cot can be collapsed together for carriage in an ambulance. The cot may be supplied with various additional members, for example side rails. A typical ambulance cot is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,644,940 issued on Feb. 29, 1972 to Bourgraf, et al. and assigned to Ferno-Washington, Inc. The disclosure of this patent is incorporated herein by reference.
While the typical ambulance cot is provided with various auxiliary fittings for attaching and carrying auxiliary items of equipment, there is a continuing need for additional means to carry securely certain critical care equipment demanded by modern emergency medical usage. Since ambulance cots are most often used in critical care situations, for example in the transport of accident victims or persons in cardiac arrest, and further considering that normally only one or two emergency medical technicians are available to care for the patient, it becomes clear that transporting the ambulance cot, caring for the patient and carrying critical care equipment are very nearly beyond the capabilities of the attending technicians. Accordingly, it has been suggested that an auxiliary apparatus designed for attachment to a typical ambulance cot be provided to carry the additional critical care equipment needed by the patient while being transported on an ambulance cot. An example of such an apparatus is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,783,109 issued to Bucalo on Nov. 8, 1988 for "Critical Care Equipment Transport System for an Ambulance Stretcher." Bucalo discloses a light tubular framework attachable to a standard ambulance stretcher by known mechanical fittings. The framework of Bucalo supports one or more shelves above a patient on the ambulance cot in order to provide support for critical care equipment that must accompany the patient. The framework additionally provides for bracing and means for mounting critical care equipment on the shelves. While Bucalo directly addresses the need for auxiliary apparatus to mount and carry critical care equipment on standard ambulance cots, the arrangement of Bucalo suffers from certain limitations. In particular, the apparatus may limit access to the patient under certain conditions. A patient in cardiopulmonary arrest may require cardiopulmonary resuscitation or other measures which require unrestricted access to the patient during transport. The framework of Bucalo, while providing access to the patient under most circumstances, is somewhat restrictive due to its placement above and to either side of the patient. Furthermore, the apparatus of Bucalo may tend to promote instability of the ambulance cot. In its fully extended position, the shelves of the Bucalo apparatus are located above the mattress frame of the cot. In this elevated position the location of heavy equipment thereon may render the entire cot top-heavy or otherwise unstable, potentially endangering the patient.
Bucalo is intended to have the general applicability to a wide variety of critical care equipment. Some of the limitations of Bucalo can be overcome by providing for an apparatus strictly adapted to the transport of single type of commonly used critical care equipment. In the case of the present invention, carrying means are adapted to a portable cardiac monitor. The apparatus is intended to mount by a hook arrangement to the frame and side rails of a typical ambulance cot. The prior art discloses various arrangements for mounting equipment to the side rails of typical hospital beds which are constructed similarly to an ambulance cot in that both utilize tubular metal frameworks.
U.S Pat. No. 4,504,992 issued to Herron, et al. on Mar. 19, 1985 for "Hospital Bed Telephone Holder" discloses a device utilizing a single hook portion for engagement over the upper horizontal rail of a hospital bed in order to support a telephone. A variant arrangement for attaching a telephone to a hospital bed is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,998,277 issued to Rioux on Mar. 5, 1991 for "Telephone Hanger for Hospital Bed." Rioux discloses a bracket having opposed upper and lower hooks to secure the holder to the upper and lower rails of the hospital bed rail assembly.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,586,276 issued to O'Mahoney on Jun. 22, 1971 for "Supporting Structure and Basket" discloses an apparatus for attaching a basket to hospital bed rails comprising an upper hook mechanism and a pair of lower clips.
None of the cited patents, however, address the particular problem of securely mounting a portable cardiac monitor to the framework of an ambulance cot.